Bracketology

[tornado]

hardly matters - Illinois is not looking good - down double digits...
better start checking available home dates for the NIT


and this is a little of a surprise...
Missouri State's Dequon Miller announces he has signed with an agent and looking to play pro...
but the bids for NIT, CBI, CIT, etc have not gone out and in theory - Missouri State with their
17-16 record is right where Bradley was in 2012-13 when we got a CIT bid.... so I guess they must have already made their decision they aren't gonna even consider it.

[tornado]

hardly matters - Illinois is not looking good - down double digits.......

wow - Illinois is the team that looks like they just had a plane wreck...
they look terrible...now down 54-36 nearing midway thru 2nd half...
..gonna get an early start on recruiting??

[Da Coach]

Illinois loses 75-55, which likely bumps them off the bubble. It may help out ISU slightly.

[Da Coach]

Xavier beats Butler tonight, which likely will get Xavier a certain at-large bid.
They have been projected among the last few in the tournament, and a bubble team by many.

[Da Coach]

In the late game in the Big 12 tournament, Kansas State upset Baylor 70-64.

This is bad news for other bubble teams like ISU and Illinois, as some brackets projected Kansas State behind other bubble teams like ISU and Illinois. With this win, they will probably leapfrog over them.

Joe Lunardi just updated his ESPN bracket after the Kansas State-Baylor game, and has now moved Kansas State into the tournament, and moved Illinois State out.


By the way, Kansas State sophomore guard Kamau Stokes looks really good, both offensively and defensively. He is Kansas State's 2nd leading scorer on the season. Geno Ford recruited him hard, and might have had a chance, but he blew up his senior year, and got the offer from Kansas State.

https://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24500

[ihatetea]

There are a large number of players Geno recruited hard that went to bigger schools and have done well. One of the reasons he failed, he seemed to put all his eggs in one basket, with no reasonable contingency plan.

I've gone back and speculated on rosters he could have had here if the guys he was recruiting hard had committed here instead. Too bad we have to live in reality

[pfcmsh]

Talent May Not Have Made A Difference

I wonder. If Coach Ford had gotten every player he wanted, would he have won more games? He would have been the same coach. His players would be without fundamentals and discipline. Perhaps the same outcome.

On the other hand, Coach Wardle won more games with 5 freshmen who clearly were not ready for the physical play in the MVC. We are so much better off.

[lefty]

I wonder. If Coach Ford had gotten every player he wanted, would he have won more games?
.

Other than the elite...Kentucky, NC,Duke,Kansas and few others probably every coach would have won more games getting the players they wanted though

[BUSongwriter]

I'll continue to hope till Sunday that Illinois State gets in the Big Dance, as I believe any team that finishes 17-1 in our conference and reaches the tourney championship game deserves. Can you imagine how angry we'd be if Bradley had their record and RPI and our spot was given to the likes of a Syracuse? Well, those of us who remember 1982 might have an idea.

Still, if Illinois State has to play in the NIT, a game I'd really be interested in seeing is if they were matched up against Illinois. I must be going soft on our rivals -- that would be two straight games I'd be cheering for the Redbirds!

[Da Coach]

Here are today's updated bracket projections-

ESPN- Updated March 10- Since yesterday, Joe Lunardi has moved ISU out of the tournament (he had them among the "Last 4 In" yesterday) and they are now listed 2nd in his "First 4 Out". He has moved Wichita State up to a #8 seed (they were a #9 seed yesterday).
Illinois has now moved down to the final team among the "Next 4 Out", meaning there are 7 bubble teams ahead of them.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

CBSSports- Updated March 10- Jerry Palm has ISU listed 2nd among his "First 4 Out". Yesterday he had them 4th on that "First 4 Out" list, so it appears he has moved them up a little, though still not in the tournament.
Oddly, he has Wichita State as a #9 seed today (he had them as a #11 seed yesterday). He had Illinois listed 2nd among his First 4 Out yesterday, but today he dropped the Illini down to where there are 10 teams ahead of them on the bubble!

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/bracketology/

[Stickboy46]

hardly matters - Illinois is not looking good - down double digits...
better start checking available home dates for the NIT


and this is a little of a surprise...
Missouri State's Dequon Miller announces he has signed with an agent and looking to play pro...
but the bids for NIT, CBI, CIT, etc have not gone out and in theory - Missouri State with their
17-16 record is right where Bradley was in 2012-13 when we got a CIT bid.... so I guess they must have already made their decision they aren't gonna even consider it.

MSU with their budget woes (announcing they are cutting 750k from the budget, having to give up the track/field championships because they couldn't afford to fix up facilities) is NOT going to a pay to play tourney.

[Dub]

I must be going soft on our rivals -- that would be two straight games I'd be cheering for the Redbirds!

I do feel you are going a bit soft. The greatest thing about ISU being knocked out of the NCAA field is that it keeps alive my goal that Bradley could make a return to the dance before the Redbirds do.

[Da Coach]

Rhode Island won their A-10 quarterfinal game, which moves them up a notch, and probably hurts ISU a little more. It's looking more and more like ISU will be a casualty of these other bubble teams continuing to win.

[tornado]

one of Minnesota's key players Akeem Springs tore his Achilles tendon in the win over Michigan State and may be done

[Da Coach]

March 11 update-

ESPN-Joe Lunardi had ISU out. Wichita State is a #9 seed-

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

CBSSports.com- Jerry palm also has ISU out, and Wichita State as a #9 seed-

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/bracketology/

Likely not much more will change this now, since all the bubble teams are now pretty clearly in or out. It is still possible for an undeserving team to win a tournament and get a bid that might push ISU down further, but there doesn't appear to be anything that will boost their chances now.
What will the committee do? Unless there is someone on the committee who can plead and change minds in favor of ISU, it is not looking good.